Official and unofficial records vary, but many states have reported storms dumping feet of snow across regions. High pressure over Greenland backs the flow in the atmosphere resulting in a large dip in the jet stream over eastern North America. The Iran blizzard of February 1972 was the deadliest blizzard in history. Questions? Baltimore reported between 15 and 30 inches while Glengary, W. Va., reported 42 inches. All told, the storm laid down 28 inches of snow, more than any other storm in more than 130 years of official Washington, DC, weather records. At the Knickerbocker, the steel roof beams rested directly on top of the brick walls; under the weight of the snow, says Ambrose, the beams quickly broke free from the walls. New York Knickerbockers Head Coach Eddie Donovan. Several persons passing on the street came running toward the theater when they heard the noise of the crash. 13 vintage photos of major US snowstorms that'll make you want to hibernate, 150 deaths and around $3 billion in damages, 6 holiday travel horror stories that will make you want to stay home, Over 200,000 homes and businesses lost power. The storm, which hit the middle and upper Atlantic states on January 27, 1922, caused a . What If She Never Existed? Drifts reached 15 ft. while tidal floods along the Massachusetts coast forced 10,000 residents into shelters. Washington, DC, was buried beneath 28 inches of snow in the Knickerbocker Storm of 1922. The Great Blizzard of 1888 remains one of the most devastating storms in US history, with a death toll of over 400. In such a pattern, a traffic jam of sorts sets up in the atmosphere. Temperatures were below freezing leading up to the event and throughout. Violin player Joseph Beal was enjoying the fourth day of his honeymoon when Natiello talked him into joining the orchestra on the night of the collapse. Fire trucks and ambulances attempting to reach thetheater were delayed navigating icy roads clogged with abandoned vehicles stuck in snow. RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) The Knickerbocker storm of 1922 was on a scale never before seen on the East Coast, a storm that set record snowfall in multiple areas and lasted the span of three full days. Dark matter's secret identity could be hiding in distorted 'Einstein rings'. She earned a master's degree in geology from Caltech, a bachelor's degree from Washington State University, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Mysterious installations bring levity and light to a sometimes stodgy city. No purchase necessary. A total of 25 states were affected, from flooding in parts of Nebraska and Iowa to tornadoes in New Mexico to intense winds in Texas. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. According to Kevin Ambrose, author of a 2013 book on the blizzard, the tragedy marked the citys deadliest single-day disaster. It was a horrendous disaster at the time and [publicized] widely. Disclaimer The Knickerbocker Storm Of 1922: 28 Inches, 98 Deaths . However, there are no satellite images or atmospheric observations of the event. The cost of the storm damage has been estimated at an eye-watering $11.3 billion, . Wind Damage. During the movie's intermission, the heavy, wet snow split the roof down the middle, bringing down the balcony as well as a portion of the weakened brick wall. NY 10036. $80. What Caused the Knickerbocker Theatre Collapse? | History| Smithsonian It was designed by Reginald Geare, an architect making a name for himself building upscale cinemas for the movie-going Americans of the roaring 20s., At around 9 p.m, just as the opening credits were rolling, a crack split across the ceiling and pieces of plaster rained onto the audience.